Friday, Jan. 26
Saturday, Jan. 27

2018 Hall of Fame Class

Abby Ballman

Women’s Basketball(2008-2012)

A two-time All-American, Abby Ballman was a member of the 2009-10 women's basketball team that reached the NAIA Division II Women's Basketball National Tournament championship game. Ballman returned the next year and led the team to the 2010-11 NAIA Division I National Tournament semifinals, getting a third team All-American selection for her contributions as a junior. Ballman would again play well in her senior year and would be named a first team All-American for the season, averaging 13.0 points and 3.7 assists per game.

Ballman is most notable for her defensive contributions. Over a four-year career, Ballman easily shattered the program steals record, recording 400 for her career. Ballman is also third in career minutes for Shawnee State, logging 4,204 for the program.

Ballman was also an outstanding player on the offensive end, as shown by being ninth in career points with 1,411. Ballman is third in assists, getting 535, and averaged 3.9 assists per game, good for fourth in program history. Ballman is also fourth in career free throw percentage (.799) and eighth in three pointers made (182).

Haley (Halcomb) Merritt

Volleyball(2007-2010)

Haley Halcomb was a member of the Shawnee State volleyball teams that reached three straight NAIA National Tournaments from 2008-10. Halcomb helped Shawnee State to win the American Mideast Conference tournament championship in 2008, the AMC regular season title in 2009, and the Mid-South Conference tournament in 2010.

Halcomb was a four-year starter for Shawnee State, and would earn many awards for her outstanding career with the volleyball program. She was a four-time all-conference selection, earning an honorable mention All-American Mideast Conference award in 2007, a second team All-AMC award in 2008, a first team All-AMC award in 2009 and a first team All-Mid-South Conference award in 2010. Halcomb would be a two-time NAIA All-American Honorable Mention, in 2009 and 2010. She also earned two American Volleyball Coaches' Association Region IX All-Region selections in 2009 and 2010. Her 2009 season also saw her earn American Mideast Conference Setter of the Year, a season in which she tallied 1,382 assists.

Halcomb is the career leader in assists by a great margin, getting 5,569 for her career. Halcomb averaged 10.65 assists per set over her career, also a program high. She is fifth in service aces with 119, and is fourth in total digs with 1,686. Halcomb is third in career games played for Shawnee State, notching 523 over her four-year career. She is also third in matches played, at 154.

Keegan Rathkamp

Men’s Cross Country(2007-08, 2010)

Keegan Rathkamp is one of the best runners in the illustrious history of Shawnee State men's cross country. Rathkamp is best known for having finished in 10th place at the 2008 NAIA National Championships, the best individual finish in program history at the National Championships.

Rathkamp is a two-time All-AMC selection, being named to the second team in 2007 and the first team in 2008. After missing the 2009 season, Rathkamp would return in 2010 and help the team win the Mid-South Conference Championship by finishing in first, earning him MSC Runner of the Year in the process.

Rathkamp was a member of two NAIA National Championship qualifiers. He led the team in the 2008 Nationals to an 11th place finish, then returned two years later to help the men's cross country team finish in fourth place in 2010, still the program's highest finish to date. Rathkamp finished 48th at the 2010 Nationals, and also participated in the 2007 Nationals, finishing 97th.

Delano Thomas

Men’s Basketball(2002-2004)

Delano Thomas played two seasons for SSU from 2002-04, logging one of the most productive two year careers in SSU history.

Thomas would average 10.8 points and 11.0 rebounds per game for the 2002-03 season, his first with the Bears. Thomas broke the SSU single season blocks record that year, logging 72 in his first year. The 2002-03 season would see Thomas earn second team All-America Mideast Conference honors for the season.

Thomas would return in 2003-04 and had an even more outstanding season. He would average 15.8 points and 11.9 rebounds per game in his senior season, and would again break the school block record for a single season, getting 76. Thomas would set the career blocks record in the same year, getting to 148 for his career. His efforts as a senior would see him named both a first team All-AMC and first team All-American, and would earn him the American Mideast Conference Player of the Year award.

Schedule of Events

Fri. January 26

Hall of Fame Banquet

5:30 pm – VIP Cocktail Hour6:30 pm – Banquet

Sat. January 27

SSU Staff/Faculty vs. Students Game

Noon | Waller Gymnasium

Come cheer on current Shawnee State students as they face Shawnee State Staff in the first-ever Staff vs. Students Basketball Game.

SSU Women vs. University of the Cumberlands

2:00 pm | Waller Gymnasium

Cheer on the Bears as they face the Patriots of the University of the Cumberlands in a Mid-South Conference showdown.

Introduction of 2018 Hall of Fame Class

Halftime of Women’s Game | Waller Gymnasium

SSU Men vs. University of the Cumberlands

4:00 pm | Waller Gymnasium

Cheer on the Bears as they face the Patriots of the University of the Cumberlands in a Mid-South Conference showdown.

Hall of Fame Alumni Game

6:00 pm | Waller Gymnasium

Former Shawnee State women’s basketball players will take the floor in their annual Women’s Basketball Alumni Game. Are you a past SSU women’s basketball player interested in playing? Contact Jeff Nickel at (740) 351-3271 or at jnickel@shawnee.edu.

Hall of Fame Social

7:30 pm | Portsmouth Brewing Company

Calling all alumni and SSU Friends, join us at Portsmouth Brewing Company for a Hall of Fame Social.